


In Perpetuity

by enviouspride



Series: OTP: Fix You [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Backstory, Gen, implied group sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2015-09-05
Packaged: 2018-04-19 04:50:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4733363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enviouspride/pseuds/enviouspride
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They say you can learn a lot about a character from the events in their life, let's see if it's true</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Perpetuity

**Author's Note:**

> Here is an explanation about this thing you are about to read: this came about because of this post (http://enviouspride.tumblr.com/post/128149638406/send-me-an-age-and-my-muse-will-tell-you-one-thing), then mstigergun said she’d like to see a fic that was just a single scene from every year of a character’s life. As it turns out, it’s really fun and interesting and gives you a really clear insight into a character.
> 
> I set myself the challenge of making every scene either: one line/paragraph or under 100 words (and if you want to do this too, go for it!)

 

**9:22 Dragon**

Tamasan presses the heels of her palms to her eyes, rubbing away the tears.

“Why are you being such a crybaby, Tam-tam?” Tenaari kneels next to her, he strokes a hand over her silver hair

“Mama said it was going to be a girl.  She had the ‘same feeling’ she did with me.”

“But now you’ll have another brother like me and Metaari,” he leans in close and whispers, “but you’ll get to boss this one around.” 

 

**9:23 Dragon**

He’s already headbutting everything, small hands wrap around the nearest set of horns and he crashes his small, one-year-old head into anyone within reach. Metaari isn’t too happy when he comes away with a black eye from cuddling baby brother Basten. 

 

**9:24 Dragon**

Tamasan brings him cookies when Mama’s not looking, she dips them in milk and hands him the soft parts. Basten makes this face like it’s the best thing in the whole world, eyes shut tight and grin spread so wide that his little cheeks puff out. 

 

**9:25 Dragon**

“Papa. Do all children blow bubbles from their noses like that when they hiccup?” 

 

**9:26 Dragon**

Tamasan takes him out on walks quite often, his  clammy hand grasping her larger one. They stay close to home, but outside is nice. There’s bright sunlight and people who smile at them when they pass - they’re nicer than Metaari and Tenaari who always pick on him and call him little. 

 

**9:27 Dragon**

“I…I didn’t do that, did I?” Basten remembers pressing his hand to the swell of Mama’s belly, that’s the last thing that had happened.  Now she’s screaming and shouting.  'The baby’s coming’. 

 

**9:28 Dragon**

“Mama, it hurts,” he says, tear stains on his cheeks.  Basten holds his small hands to his growing horns. 

 

**9:29 Dragon**

Basten always thought his brothers were mean, but when he comes home with a bloody nose and purple eye, they jump to his aid immediately.  The Vashoth girl won’t bother him tomorrow. 

 

**9:30 Dragon**

“What are going to do when you grow up, Tam-tam?”  She’s putting her doll in the new dress that Mama had sewn, Tamasan laces the small bodice with deft fingers.

“I’m already grown up, silly.”

“You’re sixteen, that’s not  _grown up_. Tenaari and Metaari are!” Basten protests, taking the doll from her hands.

“Well,” she says and pokes a finger at his nose, “I think I want to make weapons, you know how Papa does sometimes?” 

 

**9:31 Dragon**

“You’ve never kissed a girl before!” She sniggers and throws herself into a sprint, finding a tree to hide behind.  Her legs are much longer than Basten’s -  _she’s had 4 more years for them to grow_  he thinks bitterly.  Still, he chases after her.  He ignores the blush spreading across his cheeks.  It’s mid summer, sweat makes her white dress stick to her back and a rivulet flows down the curve of her neck.  She’s pretty, he can’t deny that.  Neither does he deny the quick peck she plants on his cheek when they part ways that evening. 

 

**9:32 Dragon**

He loves spending time with his sisters, even if five year olds do like to cry a lot. Basten can’t help but notice how he’s kept in a lot, the four walls of their family home more like a cage.  Mama and Papa tut whenever he does magic - it’s usually an accident.  He can’t help it.  Doesn’t  _want_  to be different. 

 

 **9** **:33 Dragon**

Metaari offers to take him hunting now that he’s gotten taller.  It’s true, Papa says that if he keeps growing he’ll be the tallest brother!  But when Metaari asks, Mama gives them a stern look and says, “you know it’s not safe.  Metaari,  _he’s_  not safe.” 

 

**9:34 Dragon**

He hides the blanket under his bed, that very familiar smell of ash permeating the room.  He didn’t mean to.  There was this boy, he’s tall and walks past Basten’s window  _shirtless._ Unsure how exactly it happens, Basten just hides them and swallows down his beating heart and the sickness in his throat. 

 

**9:35 Dragon**

Soliha hugs him tightly, small arms around his neck.  He knows he shouldn’t, but feels the magic already crackling into life and casting a bubble around them both.  It’s not perfect, the booms of thunder still persist but her sobbing drops to small whimpers.  The tears on his shoulder dry and he holds his sister, protecting her like no one else can. 

 

**9:36 Dragon**

He wonders if it was worth sneaking out.  The shouting is at the forefront of his memory - Mama and Papa are really mad.  'For your protection’ they tell him again and again, but they don’t look at Basten the way they look at Soliha.  Never have. It’s better to press the thoughts aside, the echo of that boy’s mouth against his and the breathlessness that followed.  Those thoughts are ones he prefers. 

 

**9:37 Dragon**

“We can’t keep you here.”

  
“Bullshit!” Tamasan barges into the room, standing between Papa and Basten, “what?  The Qun demands that you can’t protect your own son?”

“The other Tal-Vashoth want him chained before he does anything…untoward.”

“Then stop them,” she grinds out, eyes as sharp as any of her blades.

“If he leaves now and finds somewhere safe, then he can live the rest of his life.”

“Basten, get your things.  There’s better places for you than  _here.”_

 

**9:38 Dragon**

Basten can feel the tears about to fall, his eyes are stinging.  Wanting to blink them back - though they’ll only fall if he tries.

“You can’t go, Ten-”

“My mind is already made up,” he says, sighing heavily, “Metaari is coming with me too, he just didn’t know how to tell you.”

His fist clenches at his side, looking down at his brother throwing more food into his pack.  Basten cluthes the locket in his other hand.

“You know what the Ben Hassrath will do,” he thrusts the locket into the space between them, feeling heavy in his outstretched palm.

“I am well aware, Basten.  We both are.” 

 

**9:39 Dragon**

The weight of the dagger in his hand keeps him tied to Tamasan.  Basten holds it steady as he skins his first rabbit.  Kubrasan tells him it’s a step in the right direction -  _we’ll make a Mercenary out of you soon enough_  - her encouragement makes the thought of his first kill easier to handle. 

 

**9:40 Dragon**

He knows it involves a lot of alcohol, but nothing more than that.  He learns quickly not to fret and just enjoy the feel of the sets of hands on his chest, arms and legs… 

 

**9:41 Dragon**

“Leonid… Trevelyan is it? I was told to come and find you for my 'assignment’. They call me The Bastion.” 


End file.
